The present variety of peach tree resulted from an on-going program of fruit nut rootstock tree breeding. The purpose of this program is to improve the commercial quality of deciduous fruit and nut varieties, and rootstocks, by creating and releasing promising selections of Prunus, Malus, Punica and Juglans species. To this end we make both controlled, and hybrid cross pollinations, each year, in order to produce seedling populations from which improved progenies are evaluated and selected.
The seedling, ‘Burpeachthirtyeight’ was originated by us, and selected from a population of seedlings growing in our experimental orchards which are located near Fowler, Calif. The seedlings, grown on their own roots, were derived from planting seed of the ‘Summer Lady’ Peach Tree (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,865), a commercially released, yellow-fleshed peach. The pollen parent was an unnamed, late ripening, clingstone peach selection (un-patented). Fruit was collected from the female parent, and seeds were then extracted. After a period of stratification, the seeds were placed in our greenhouse, by population, and then field planted for tree establishment, and ultimately to exhibit fruit for further evaluation. One yellow fleshed peach seedling, which is the present variety, exhibited especially desirable characteristics, and was then designated as ‘J26.080’. This seedling was marked for subsequent observation. After the 2004 fruiting season, the new variety of peach tree was selected for advanced evaluation, and repropagation. In comparison to its parents, the new variety is both a later ripening variety (approximately 6 weeks), and further displays fruit having a clingstone characteristic. Both of the aforementioned characteristics are different than the traits of female parent, ‘Summer Lady’ Peach Tree (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,865). Additionally, the new variety of peach tree produces fruit which are more rounded in shape, flavorful and exhibits more external reddish blush than its' unnamed, late ripening clingstone male parent.